Most of us don’t actively monitor our hormone levels, but we probably notice when they’re off. Hormones regulate key bodily functions like growth, metabolism, and reproduction, and when they’re not balanced, it can lead to things we easily brush off, like fatigue, weight gain or mood swings.
But it doesn’t mean we need a prescription to reset those hormone levels. Dr. Gaurav Mandal, a board-certified endocrinologist and internist, shares how to optimize hormones for better sleep, mood and metabolism that are medicine-free. He suggests these simple ways to support hormone balance.
- Catch morning rays - Going outside when you wake up is key, as sunlight activates the hormones essential for mood, sleep and reproductive health. If you’re stuck inside, a light therapy lamp or bright indoor lighting can help in the morning.
- Hit the gym early in the day - Levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, naturally peak around 30 to 45 minutes after you wake up and you can take advantage of that by working out in the morning to regulate circadian rhythms for sleep and boost mood with a release of endorphins.
- Time your food and caffeine intake - Mandal advises limiting eating to a 10-hour window every day, like from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., which has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. Time-restricted eating can help restore the balance of gut hormones, which are essential for regulating insulin sensitivity. Poor insulin sensitivity, also known as insulin resistance, can lead to anxiety, brain fog, irritability and fatigue.
- Eat three meals a day - Restricting your eating window is helpful, but this expert doesn’t want you skipping meals, which can slow metabolism, increase fat storage, and reduce levels of “feel-good” hormones dopamine and oxytocin.
- Hug your partner - Squeezing or cuddling a loved one for as little as 20 seconds releases a surge of oxytocin, which decreases stress to help with mood and sleep.
- Power down screens before bed - Mandal points out that turning off screens an hour or so before bedtime helps increase melatonin, which helps you get better sleep. Research shows that getting to bed between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. optimizes the release of melatonin and other hormones, while poor sleep can increase cortisol and ghrelin, aka the “hunger hormone.”⠀
Source: NY Post
Scott's Thoughts:
- We might not skip screens before bed or hit the gym, but we can hug our people more!
- I have never had a hormone test. Should I?
- I don't turn off my phone at night, but I do go into sleep mode so only my emergency contacts will make my phone ring. Not people